Step-Stomp Stride, Voices in History

Over this last nine weeks we have been busy reading, writing, discussing, and thinking critically.  We found out that ancient Greece is known as the "birthplace of democracy," but upon further investigation students were shocked to learn that women, slaves, immigrants, and poor people were not allowed to vote. This has lead to books and conversations about other times in history when people were treated unfairly and how those groups of people were able to gain equal rights. One of the books we read was about Sojourner Truth called Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Sojourner Truth was a brave women who not only worked for equal rights for African Americans, but she also worked for women's rights.

We are writing I AM poems in reponse to this book and are creating collages in the Art Studio with Mary Lou to accompany our poetry. Here is a glimpse at the first few lines in a few of our poems:

I am Strong 

By : Caleb Evans 

I am Sojourner Truth.

I wonder why they treat me so terribly.

I hear threats from the white people.

I see millions of sad black people.

I want to hear the truth not lies.

I am tired of being beaten.

I pretend that I do not feel sad for the black people like me 

I feel angry for what they did to me 

I touch the future with a blessing of hope 

I worry about my friends and if they will survive.

I cry to see my back whipped by the slave catchers and their anger & hatred 

I am big, black, and beautiful.

I am the Fire Within… 

By: Hannah Anderson 

I am a women who opened a door to freedom.
I wonder if whites will follow my freedom beliefs.
I hear the words I scream out in court with courage & hope on my side.
I see the darkness in whites eyes.
I want my heart to lead the way.
I am a women that opened your door to freedom.

I pretend not to know whites but I do fight back.
I feel the rain the shower me with to put fire of freedom out.
I touch freedom right here oh barely, just barely child.
I worry about the choices I make , am I doing the right thing?